The prior art has discussed the use of certain inert particulate solids as insecticides, see for example; Driggers, B. F., "Experiments with Talc and Other Dusts Used Against Recently Hatched Larvae of the Oriental and Codling Moths," J. Econ. Ent., 22 327-334 (1929); Hunt, C. R., "Toxicity of Insecticide Dust Diluents and Carriers to Larvae of the Mexican Bean Beetle," J. Econ. Ent., 40 215-219 (1947); P. Alexander, J. A. Kitchener and H. V. A. Briscoe, "Inert Dust Insecticides," Parts I, II, and III, Ann. Appl. Biol., 31 143-159, (1944); and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,159,536 (1964) and 5,122,518 (1992), each of which is incorporated herein by reference with regard to its teachings relating to particulate materials.
Plant diseases are caused by various pathogens, e.g., fungi, bacteria and virus, and these diseases have generally been controlled commercially by the use of chemical pesticides. For example, commercial fungicides generally belong to the following types of chemical compounds: inorganic (copper or sulfur based), organic (anilines, anilides, dithiocarbamates, halogen compounds and heterocyclic nitrogen compounds), antibiotics and biologicals. Chemically toxic fungicides and bactericides are often formulated with inert particulates. Inert particulates, however, have been shown to be ineffective toward these plant pests when applied by themselves (see W. O. Cline and R. D. Milholland, "Root Dip Treatments for Controlling Blueberry Stem Blight Caused by Botryosphaeria dothidea in Container-Grown Nursery Plants," Plant Disease 76 136-138 (1992)). Furthermore, not only have inert particulates been shown to be ineffective in plant disease control, but it has been reported by S. K. Bhattacharyya and M. K. Basu, "Kaolin Powder as a Fungal Carrier," Appl. Envir. Microbio. 44 751-753 (1982) that kaolin powder may be used to carry and preserve an Aspergillus sp. for at least 90 days. In another report, S. M. Lipson and G. Stotzky, "Effect of Kaolinite on the Specific Infectivity of Reovirus," FEMS Micr. Let. 37 83-88 (1986), it was reported that the infectivity of enteric viruses (e.g., poliovirus, rotavirus and reovirus) is prolonged when these viruses are adsorbed on naturally occurring particulates (sediments, clay materials) in terrestrial and aquatic environments.
O. Ziv and R. A. Frederiksen, "The Effect of Film-forming Anti-transpirants on Leaf Rust and Powdery Mildew Incidence on Wheat," Plant Path. 36 242-245 (1987); M. Kamp, "Control of Erysiphe cichoracearum on Zinnia elegans, with a Polymer-based Antitranspirant," Hort. Sci. 20 879-881 (1985); and J. Zekaria-Oren and Z. Eyal, "Effect of Film-forming Compounds on the Development of Leaf Rust on Wheat Seedlings," Plant Dis. 75 231-234 (1991)) discuss the use of anti-transpirant polymer films to control disease. Of course, the use of anti-transpirants is undesirable because they reduce the exchange of necessary gases on the surface of living plants.
For prior art regarding horticultural effects see, for example, Byers, R. E., K. S. Yoder, and G. E. Mattus, "Reduction in Russetting of `Golden Delicious` Apples with 2,4,5-TP and Other Compounds," HortScience 18:63-65); Byers, R. E., D. H. Carbaugh, and C. N. Presley, "`Stayman` Fruit Cracking as Affected by Surfactants, Plant Growth Regulators, and Other Chemicals," J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 115:405-411 (1990); Durner, E. F., and T. J. Gianfagna, "Peach Pistil Growth Inhibition and Subsequent Bloom Delay by Midwinter Bud Whitewashing," HortScience 25:1222-1224 (1990); and M. N. Westwood, Temperate-zone Pomolocy, page 313 W. H. Freeman and Co. (1978).
Therefore, there is still a need for cost effective inert, nontoxic improved agents for pest control and for enhanced horticultural effects and methods for their use.